?1 Striker Oil & Gas Inc., Houston, reports its second gas well at its Catfish Creek prospect in Henderson and Anderson counties, Texas, (RRC District 5) has been completed and is waiting for a pipeline connection for commercial sales. It targeted the Pettet formation at a depth of 10,458 ft. The well, operated by West Mountain Operating Co. Inc., Longview, Texas, was drilled in John A. Newland Survey, A-576. Full development of this prospect could result in 20 to 40 wells, says Striker. It has a 33% working interest before payout (25% after payout) on this prospect.

2 Houston-based Lucas Energy Inc. has acquired a majority of the working interest in #1 Hines Unity in Gonzales County, Texas (RRC District 1). The straight-hole, Austin Chalk well has yielded more than 173,000 bbl. of oil since 1981. Currently, the well is producing six bbl. of oil per day and is primed for the company’s revitalization program. The well is in a 160-acre unit south of the town of Gonzales, and it is just west of the company’s #3 Hagen Ranch.

3 Crimson Exploration Inc., Houston, is drilling its first operated well in SW Speaks Field in Lavaca County, Texas (RRC District 2). The Migl-Quinn #9, in Sarah Wilmans Survey, A-492, was at 8,230 ft. at last report. Plans call for the development well to evaluate Wilcox at 15,000 ft. The company anticipates drilling one exploration well and two more development wells in this area this year.

4 Samson Oil & Gas Ltd., Denver, has started preparing a drillsite at its Sabretooth prospect in Brazoria County, Texas (RRC District 3). The well is a 14,000-ft. test of Vicksburg and has an estimated recoverable volume of 25 billion cu. ft. equivalent, Samson says. The company has a 12.5% working interest in the well.

5 Universal Energy Corp., Houston, reports that drilling has begun at its Lone Oak prospect near the border of Chambers and Galveston counties, Texas (RRC District 3). The well will target Vicksburg sandstone reservoirs with drilling expected to take five weeks.

6 San Antonio-based Republic Resources LLC completed #3 Angelita Unit in the J. Hart & Sons Survey A-10, San Patricio County, Texas, (RRC District 4) at a total depth of 7,800 ft. The well is producing from perforations between 6,924-28 ft. at a rate of 1.2 million cu. ft. of gas and 40 bbl. of condensate a day. It was tested on an 8/64-in. choke and recorded flowing tubing pressure of 2,300 psi.

7 Brigham Exploration Co., Austin, Texas, reports two of its gas wells have been completed in Starr and Hidalgo counties, Texas (RRC District 4). The #F-35 Sullivan, which targeted a Dawson Sand formation, has been placed into production with a flow rate of 6.8 million cu. ft. equivalent per day. The second well, #C-39 Sullivan, targeted the Lower Vicksburg interval and had an initial flow rate of 3.9 million cu. ft. per day.

8 Australia-based operator Buccaneer Energy encountered net gas pay of 74 ft. over two productive sands with its #1 SL 103230 at the Pompano project in the Brazos Block 446 in the Gulf of Mexico. The well will be completed dually for simultaneous production. Expected rates for the find are around 7 million cu. ft. of gas and 30 bbl. of condensate per day. Buccaneer holds a 65% interest in the field. Originally discovered in 1966, Pompano Field has produced more than 120 billion cu. ft. of gas prior to being shut-in in 2003. The redevelopment of the field is based on 3-D seismic.

9 Japan-based Nippon Oil made a gas discovery in West Cameron Block 552 in the Gulf of Mexico. According to Reuters, the company said it could start production by year’s end. Nippon has an 80% stake in the block, with Fidelity Exploration & Production Co., Denver, holding 20%. No estimate of output or reserves at the discovery was provided.

10 Chevron USA Inc. encountered pay in the third well on its Flatrock prospect, reports partner McMoRan Exploration Co. The #3 Flatrock is in 10 ft. of water on South Marsh Island Block 212 in the Gulf of Mexico. The well was sidetracked to 18,175 ft. and logged 130 net ft. of pay in the Operc section. These pay zones are in addition to previously announced zones that totaled 126 net ft. of pay above 17,100 ft. in Rob-L and Operc. In total, McMoRan says the well has found 256 ft. of net pay. Drilling continues to a proposed total depth of 18,800 ft. to evaluate deeper Operc targets.
The Flatrock discovery #228 (BP2) OCS 00310 was brought online in January at a gross rate of 50 million cu. ft. equivalent per day, reports IHS Inc. The #229 OCS G00310 was tested at a gross rate of 114 million cu. ft. per day. A fourth test on Block 212 is currently being drilled by Chevron below 13,000 ft. Proposed total depth at #231 OCS 00310 is 18,800 ft.

11 Hess Corp., New York City, reports the successful completion of an appraisal at its Pony discovery on Green Canyon Block 468 in 3,500 ft. of water in the Gulf of Mexico. The #2 Pony sidetrack encountered the same sands as #1 Pony. The sidetrack appraisal reached a depth of 33,362 ft. from a surface location 7,400 ft. northwest of the discovery well. The appraisal well is part of an ongoing data-gathering program on the Pony prospect, which is 100% owned by Hess. Recoverable resources are estimated to be about 200 million bbl. of oil equivalent. The company reports it is evaluating development concepts for production from the Pony prospect before making a final investment decision.

12 A multi-year alliance has been signed between Houston-based FMC Technologies Inc. and LLOG Exploration Co. for its three deepwater discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico. Under the contract, FMC will construct subsea production systems and undertake engineering and maintenance services. The company will also provide equipment and services for LLOG’s Mississippi Canyon Block 72, Mississippi Canyon Block 503 and Green Canyon Block 448 developments and other Gulf of Mexico projects. Late last year, LLOG drilled its #1 OCS G27277 to an unreported total depth in the eastern portion of MC 503. Water depth was 3,092 ft.

13 Italian firm ENI has started to develop Longhorn Field in Mississippi Canyon blocks 502 and 546. The $587-million project is in 2,400 ft. of water. Initial production is scheduled to begin in March 2009 with a gross peak rate of 200 million cu. ft. of gas per day. Longhorn’s development will consist of three subsea wells tied back 20 miles to the Crystal platform. Major contracts have been awarded and well-completion operations will start in the third quarter of this year. ENI’s working interest in Longhorn is 75% and Calgary-based Nexen Inc. business unit Nexen Petroleum Offshore USA Inc. owns the remaining 25%.

14 Houston independent Southern Star Energy completed its #7-2 Rendall in its Sentell Field development program in Bossier Parish, La. The well, in Section 7-19n-13w, was completed and fracture stimulated in multiple Cotton Valley Davis sand intervals within an 800-ft. gas-bearing section between 8,449 and 9,252 ft. It’s currently flowing at a rate of 1.4 million cu. ft. of gas per day with a flowing tubing pressure of 1,325 psi. This is the company’s fourth consecutive Cotton Valley completion in this program.

15 Mainland Resources Inc., Vancouver, will drill a Haynesville shale test well in DeSoto Parish, La., on the southeastern flank of Holly East Field. Target depth is 12,500 ft. and objectives also include Cotton Valley and Hosston sands. The company reports it will begin constructing the drillsite and access road immediately, so the test well can be spudded as soon as a rig becomes available.

16 Petsec Energy Ltd., Lafayette, La., has started deepening its #30-1 CL&F in Terrebonne Parish, La. The well was drilled and temporarily plugged in September 2007. The company reports that about 1,600 ft. of the well will be redrilled and then deepened an additional 500 ft. to reach a target depth of 13,680 ft. The original well was drilled to 13,163 ft. and abandoned because of deteriorating hole conditions.

17 Houston-based Yuma Exploration and Production Co. Inc. completed its first two exploration wells in its five-well Plaquemines Parish, La., project in Lake Campo Field. The Caviar I tested at 4.2 million cu. ft. per day with a flowing tubing pressure of 2,881 psi on a 13/64-in. choke. The Caviar IV tested at 4.3 million cu. ft. per day with a flowing tubing pressure of 3,660 psi on 13/64-in. choke. Yuma is the operator with a 25% working interest in the prospects.